The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-01-01
For THE UNIvERsALIsT.
BARBARA VAN ZANDT.
INCIDENT IN THE COLONIAL HISTORY
OF NEW YORK.
BY MRS. CAROLINE A. SoULE.

Obadiah and Barbara Van Zandt were
among the very earliest settlers of that
part Of the Mohawk Valley which lies
between Fort Plain and Schenectady.
They had not much money, and only a
small stock of household goods, when, on
the day succeeding their marriage, they
set off from Albany in an can OK team"
to seek their fortunes. But they had
what was equally good in those colonial
fond affection for each other, and a
firm faith in God as their heavenly
father. They expected to work hard, for
their land was yet covered with the
primeval forest trees. They expected
coarse fare, as it would take long while
to make clean and fertile fields out of
that dense woodland. They expected to
be lonely, so far as society went, for the
nearest neighbor was five miles of, and
there would be little leisure for going to
and fro. They knew they would be in
danger from the Indians, and perhaps
from wild beasts. They knew that even
at the best their lives would be those of
unceasing toll, attended with all the risks
of pioneer settlers. Yet they drove on,
laughing merrily and chatting constant
ly, now in Dutch and then in English,
for the colonists of Albany we're familiar
with both languages. Their honeymoon
was spent before they reached their new
home, for much Of the way led through
an almost trackless forest.
Once at their journeys end, they went
bravely and steadily to their work. Trees
were cut down, cabin built, clearing
made for garden and for field of In
dian corn; and as the year went by, they
saw the farm which they had dreamed of
grow into reality; rather rough real
ity, it is true, with its stump fences and
pastures yet disfgured with mammoth
roots that would not burn.
Yet seven years made great, almost
wonderful, change in the aspect of things,
and very happy were the two every au-
tumn when they could count up their
treasures-hay, corn, oats, rye, potatoes
and beans; their sleek oxen, their mich
COWS, their fat pigs, their flock of sheep,
and their fine poultry. And very affec-
tionate were they, too, for their interests
had been always the same and the one
had worked as hard as the other, Barbara
cheerfully going into the woods with her
axe, when she was needed, and Obadiah
as cheerfully rolling up his shirt sleeves
and putting his hands into the kneading
tray or the wash tub when he was need
ed, which had now been for three differ
emit times, four little Van Zandts now
playing about the cabin, girl of six and
three boys, the eldest a sturdy fellow Of
four, and the two younger rather delicate
twin babies, of year old. Life had
been very hard to them, in one sense; in
another it had been very smooth, for they
had never lost one of their household,
and they still loved each other dearly.
Obadiah had been always in the habit
of going to Albany once every mid-win-
ter to exchange his stock of deer skins
and furs for groceries and such goods as
they could not well manufacture. He
was keen hunter and sharp trapper, as
were nearly all those early settlers, and
the profits of the chase and the trap add
ed largely to their comforts. At first his
absence was greatly dreaded by Barbara,
but as he always returned safely and
within day or two of the specified time,
and as nothing seriously unfortunate ever
happened at home, she became quite
reeonciled to this annual trip.
For the eighth time he was about to set
out, and the usual preparations were
made by each. Barbara baked great
loaves of rye and Indian bread; roasted
some of her tenderest fowls; made
huge venlson pie; packed a jar of
golden butter; boiled eggs by the dozen;
and found room in the provision box
for several daiuties, a jar of strained
honey, lump of maple sugar and pan
OF rich seed cake, while a big bag Of
doughnuts and crullers was to lie in the
seat beside him, that he could at any
hour take lunch without losing time.
Obadiah chopped plenty of wood and
rolled as many big back logs close to the
cabin doors as would equal the nights of
his absence, with half dozen extra ones,
in case he should be delayed. He made,
too, the usual alterations about the sheds
and folds, so that the work of feeding
the stock would be the easier for his
wife.
And then in the gray of the cold Jan
uary morning they bade each other good
by, she watching from the bars till the
team was out of sight, and then going
bravely back to the cabin and beginning
her days work, singing sweetIy:
Though troubles assail,
And dangers alright,
Though friends should all fail
And foes all unite,
Yet one thing secures us,
Whatever betide,
The Scriptures assure us
The Lord will provide"
Poor Barbara 1t was a good thing
for her that she had such precious faith,
for she was to be sorely tried.